Escapee caught 16 years after Texas prison break

Updated 8:09 pm, Wednesday, February 6, 2013

Jose Salaz is the only prisoner to escape from the Texas prison system and still remain at large.

Jose Salaz is the only prisoner to escape from the Texas prison system and still remain at large.

Photo: Handout Photo

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Former Houston Police Department homicide detective Jim Binford shows the bullet that was ﻿removed from his body after ﻿a shootout ﻿involving fugitive Jose Salaz in April ﻿1995.

Former Houston Police Department homicide detective Jim Binford shows the bullet that was ﻿removed from his body after ﻿a shootout ﻿involving fugitive Jose Salaz in April ﻿1995.

Photo: Nick De La Torre, Chronicle

Escapee caught 16 years after Texas prison break

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A man who escaped from a Texas prison 16 years ago has been captured in Mexico, authorities said Wednesday.

Juan Salaz, an American citizen, was captured last week and remains in Mexico awaiting extradition, authorities said.

Salaz escaped on March 22, 1997 from the Garza East Unit in Beeville, southeast of San Antonio. He was serving three concurrent 35 years sentences for two counts of attempted capital murder of a police officer and aggravated kidnapping with a deadly weapon.

He climbed over three 16-foot razor wire topped security fences.

As recently as three years ago, investigators suspected Salaz was is in the vicinity of Monterrey, Mexico. At that time, investigators said they suspected Salaz has crossed back and forth between Mexico and Texas with help from family in Houston.

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